Bogue Inlet Channel Relocation Project

NEW!!! (posted 11/16/05) – A second set of cutting edge, 3-dimensional maps depicting the bathymetric character of the old channel, Coast Guard channel and a portion of the new channel within the Bogue Inlet floodway. A special thank you again to GEODYNAMICS Geologic & Oceanographic Services for the images that were obtained in a one-day survey event sponsored by the Town of Emerald Isle.

3-Dimensional Images of Bogue Inlet (Nov. 14, 2005)

8/19/05 – Cutting edge, 3-dimensional maps depicting the bathymetric and topographic character of Bogue Inlet. A special thank you to GEODYNAMICS Geologic & Oceanographic Services for the images that were obtained in a large scale mapping project funded by the N.C. Division of Coastal Management.

3-Dimensional Images of Bogue Inlet (June 2005)

6/24/05 – Aerial photos taken the afternoon of 6/23/05 at Bogue Inlet (low tide).

Aerial Photos (6/23/05)

Old Inlet #1

CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED ON 4/22/05 - Announcement from the Town

FACT SHEET: 2005

View Graphic: Channel Realignment Schematic

View Graphic: Beach Nourishment Progress Map (Final Update - 4/4/05)

CONSTRUCTION NOTES:

4/29/05 – Aerial photos taken on the afternoon of 4/28/05 at Bogue Inlet.

Aerial Photos (4/28/05)

Aerial #2a

4/25/05 -- Project Completion Update. - Weeks Marine completed the Bogue Inlet Channel/Western Phase Beach Nourishment Project this past Friday afternoon (4/22/05). The final aspect of the project included the completion of the channel realignment with concurrent dike construction. The final length of the NE – SW orientated dike was 2,200 linear feet, and a cross section near the middle of the dike at Station 10+00 is depicted below. The cutterhead-suction dredge, the Borinquen and the remaining support and ancillary equipment including the booster pump, pontoon, submerged, and land-based pipelines, tugboats, etc., should be fully demobilized within the next 7 to 10 days. The Western Regional Access near the Islander Motor Inn has served as a staging and heavy equipment entrance facility for Weeks Marine during the project and should also be re-opened within the next 7-10 days once all equipment has been demobilized and the parking returned to a functional recreational use (i.e., subsequent to regrading, repositioning of curbs, etc.).

4/18/05 – Channel realignment and dike construction activities continue this week and it is anticipated that the project will be completed by this upcoming weekend. The sustained 40 knot northerly winds over this past weekend hampered productivity, however Weeks Marine has constructed approximately 1,800 linear feet out of the 2,000 linear foot NE – SW trending sand dike (see schematic above). Approximately 1,000,000 cubic yards of sand has been excavated from the new channel alignment to date, with approximately 720,000 cubic yards utilized for beach nourishment and approximately 280,000 cubic yards utilized for dike construction. As a frame of reference, the total 1,000,000 cubic yards excavated to date from the channel would fill the footprint of a regulation size football field (160 ft. x 360 ft.) with enough sand to stand at 469 foot high!

4/12/05 – Aerial photos taken on the afternoon of 4/11/05 at Bogue Inlet.

Aerial Photos (4/11/05)

SE View

4/11/05 – Weeks Marine has constructed approximately 1,200 linear foot of the NE – SW trending sand dike and has crossed the deepest section of the old channel along the dike alignment (approximately -18 foot NGVD). The total estimated distance of the dike is 2,000 linear feet (see channel schematic above) and over 160,000 cubic yards have been utilized for dike construction to date (see photos above). Weeks Marine and the Town are continuing to work diligently to complete the project.

Dike Construction Pictures (4/11/05)
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Photo - #2

Photo - #4

4/4/05 – Weeks Marine completed the beach nourishment element of the project this past Saturday (4/2/05) and has begun to dissemble and demobilize the oceanfront pipeline stretching from the Point to Santa Maria Drive (see progress map and photo #7 above taken at Bogue Inlet Pier). The submerged line leading from the dredge (Borinquen) to the dike construction area at the Point spit was repositioned over the weekend and dike construction was initiated at 12:00 noon yesterday (4/3/05). Approximately 350 linear feet of dike has been constructed as of this morning with construction progressing southwestward from the spit at the Point towards the new channel - see Channel Schematic map and photos above.

The Town was also granted a permit extension last week by Federal and State regulatory agencies and it is anticipated that the dike will be constructed and the new channel dredged by April 15th.

Dike Construction Pictures (4/4/05)
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Photo - #5
Photo - #2

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Photo - #3
Photo - #7
Photo - #4

3/28/05 – Weeks Marine encountered a couple of mechanical and field related issues that stymied progress for most of the work week between 3/21 and 3/25. However, channel dredging with concurrent beach nourishment continues with approximately 1,500 linear feet of beach work remaining (inclusive of the easternmost 500 foot taper). The discharge pipe is currently positioned at Bluewater Drive (see beach nourishment progress map above).

The interior, or sound side "neck" of the new channel has been completely dredged (~station 0+00 to 25+00 in channel realignment schematic map above). The dredge has been repositioned towards the middle of the channel in an effort to continue working during the forecasted high seas for the next couple of days, and will be repositioned later this week to the exterior, or seaward portion of the new channel to complete beach nourishment activities and "break through" the ebb delta, thereby establishing the new channel. Reports from the inlet indicate that the new channel is already capturing some of the inlet's tidal flow. By the end of the week and leading into this weekend, the beach nourishment element of the project should be completed and the new channel should also be established. Dike construction should be initiated immediately thereafter, with the material stemming from the central portion of the new channel that was left undisturbed during the initial phases of the project (~station 35+00 to 55+00 in the channel realignment schematic above).

The Town has recently applied for State and Federal permit extensions that would extend the construction window to April 15, 2005. A determination regarding these requests should be forthcoming by the end of the work week.

3/21/05 – Current discharge activities are located near Craig & Arthur Drives, leaving approximately 2,600 linear feet of beach nourishment to be completed inclusive of the easternmost 500 foot taper (see progress map above). Over 600,000 cubic yards of dredged shoal material has been dredged, pumped, and modified into beach contours to date. The bulk of dredging activities has been centered within the interior, or sound side portion of the new channel for the past few weeks (~station 0+00 to 25+00 in channel realignment schematic map above). The dredge will be repositioned later this week to the exterior, or seaward portion of the new channel to complete beach nourishment activities and "break through" the ebb delta, thereby establishing the new channel.

By the end of the week and leading into this weekend, the beach nourishment element of the project should be completed and the new channel should also be established. Dike construction should be initiated immediately thereafter, with the material stemming from the central portion of the new channel that was left undisturbed during the initial phases of the project (~station 35+00 to 55+00 in the channel realignment schematic above).

3/14/05 – Discharge activities are currently located several hundred feet east of the Black Skimmer Rd. vehicle ramp (see the updated beach nourishment progress map above). Approximately 5,000 linear feet of beach nourishment remains, inclusive of the easternmost 500 foot taper, before dike construction is initiated within the present-day channel.

3/9/05 – A special thank you to Weeks Marine for providing the following aerial photos taken on March 3, 2005.

Photo #1

Photo #3
Photo #2
Photo #4

3/7/05 - Discharge activities are currently located several hundred feet east of Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier (see the updated beach nourishment progress map above). Less than 7,000 linear feet of beach nourishment remains, inclusive of the easternmost 500 foot taper, before dike construction is initiated.

Pictures from Bogue Inlet Pier (3/4/05)
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Photo - #2

Photo - #5
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Photo - #6

2/28/05 - Discharge activities are currently situated several hundred feet west of the Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier this morning (see the updated beach nourishment progress map above). To date, over 330,000 cubic yards of sand has been dredged and placed along ~14,000 linear feet (2.65 miles) of beach. Beach nourishment activities could be concluded within the next two weeks and dike construction initiated immediately thereafter. The source for all beach nourishment and dike construction sand are dredged shoal material emanating from the new channel cut.

2/21/05 - The current discharge area is situated approximately 3,000 feet east of the Town’s Western Regional Access (a.k.a. "Islander Access") this morning (see the updated beach nourishment progress map). Again, sand quality remains excellent and there are no major mechanical breakdowns or dredging issues associated with the new channel cut to report.

2/18/05 - Channel dredging with concurrent beach nourishment continues to progress at a relatively rapid pace. More than 8,000 linear feet of beach has been nourished since the project was initiated less than eight days ago on 2/11/05. The current discharge area is situated just east of the Town’s Western Regional Access (a.k.a. "Islander Access") this morning, and beach nourishment will continue progressing eastward. Please see the updated beach nourishment progress map above for a graphic depiction of beachfill activities. Sand quality remains excellent and there are no major mechanical breakdowns or dredging issues associated with the new channel cut to report.

2/14/05 - Channel dredging with concurrent beach nourishment has progressed nicely since Weeks Marine initiated the project early Friday morning (2/11/05). The discharge area is currently positioned near the Ocean Oaks subdivision (Station 9) and progressing eastward - see Beach Nourishment Progress Map above. Sea conditions have remained favorable since the project has started and there have been no major mechanical issues to contend with to date. Also, sediment quality in terms of aesthetics and grain size has remained excellent.

2/11/05 – Weeks Marine initiated dredging/beach nourishment this morning at approximately 2 am following several days configuring submerged, buoyed, and land-based pipelines extending between the dredge, booster pump, and the beach. Weeks Marine's personnel have been hard at work the past few days to get the project started and sand quality from an aesthetic sense is excellent.

The Borinquen will cut (dredge) the new inlet alignment starting at ~Station (25+00) and progress towards the south to the seaward end of the channel (Station 70+00), essentially working from the sound towards the ocean (see channel schematic above). Shoal material encountered during this dredging reach will be placed on the beach progressing eastward from the Land’s End Club House to Santa Maria Drive (see progress map above). The Borinquen will subsequently be repositioned towards the spit at the Point area (Station 0+00 to 25+00) to complete beach nourishment activities. A portion of the channel reach in the middle section (Station 25+00 to 60+00) will be completed last with the bulk of this material utilized for dike construction.

The Town has received permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the N.C. Division of Coastal Management to increase the depth of the channel by an additional 1.5 feet. The new depth will now be -17 feet NGVD 1929, which will further enhance navigation, promote the new channel as the dominant channel in the inlet, and provide additional sand for the closure dike to be constructed across the existing channel.

The next update will be posted on Monday, February 14th.

Photo - Beach (2/11/05)

1/31/05 – Weeks Marine’s 24-inch cutterhead-suction dredge, the Borinquen, arrived in the Morehead City Harbor this past weekend. The Borinquen is scheduled for a few day repair and will subsequently be transited to Bogue Inlet to initiate the project later this week. In the interim and for the past month, ancillary dredging and beach building equipment has been arriving to Emerald Isle. The Town’s Western Regional Access (aka – the Islander Access) has been serving as the main staging area for pipe and heavy equipment, and the land-based piping run extending from Bogue Inlet eastward to the start of beach nourishment operations near the Land’s End clubhouse has also been initiated and is almost complete. Various photos of these mobilization activities and last week’s ceremonial ribbon-cutting event are available below.

Photo - Pipes by the Pointe (west)
Photo - Staging Area
Photo - Ceremony Shovel

1/11/05 – Although the dredging schedule is tentative at this point, Weeks Marine began the mobilization process in late December. The 24" cutter-head suction dredge, the Borinquen, is transiting from Houston to Emerald Isle and the adjacent waters, and should arrive late next week. Construction should begin the following week (4th full week in January) and conclude by late March 2005.

Ground Breaking Ceremony  Program (1/24/05)

How to Interpret the Progress & Schematic Maps for the Bogue Inlet Channel Realignment Project

The Bogue Inlet Channel Realignment Project includes three major work objectives including; (1) The realignment of the deep-water channel in Bogue Inlet that is currently flanking the Emerald Isle inlet shoreline (east shoulder of the inlet) to a centrally located position within the Bogue Inlet floodway that separates Emerald Isle from Bear Island. (2) Construction of a sand dike (or wall) that will close the present-day inlet as the realignment is completed. The installation of the dike will enhance shoaling (infilling) of the present-day inlet channel thereby promoting the new inlet as the major tidal corridor. (3)Beach nourishment along 4.5 miles of western Emerald Isle shoreline. The sand utilized for this objective will be dredged shoal material encountered during the realignment of the inlet.

The dredging contract has been awarded to Weeks Marine, Inc. and the 24” cutterhead-suction dredge, the Borinquen will be used for all phases of the project (2,300 hp pumping capacity). A cutterhead-suction dredge utilizes a crane placed on a barge-type vessel that positions the cutterhead, which looks like a gigantic drill bit, along the seafloor. The cutterhead agitates the sandy bottom, and the resulting slurry of sediment and water is subsequently suctioned into a long tube transitioning into a pipeline that can be extended to a specific target area.

The Borinquen is anticipated to initiate dredging within the northern half of the proposed channel area and progress southward towards the ocean, eventually breaching the ebb tide delta. A floating booster pump will be anchored within the present-day deep water channel just west of the majority of the sandbags flanking the inlet shoreline and the old 4-wheel drive ramp. A booster pump provides additional pumping power (7,200 hp) to complete the entire 4.5 mile stretch of beach nourishment planned for the project. This reach extends eastward from the vicinity of the Lands End clubhouse to Santa Maria Drive and will conveniently dovetail into the terminus of the 2003 project completed along the eastern Emerald Isle oceanfront. Once the bulk of beach nourishment activities is completed, the Borinquen will advance back towards the north to dredge the remaining portions of the channel while concurrently pumping sand for dike construction. It is anticipated that at least 710,000 cubic yards (cy) will be utilized for the beach fill, with the balance utilized for dike construction (up to 296,000 cy).

Project engineers use “stations” positioned along the beach to track nourishment projects and to verify in-place volumes of sand placed on the beach by dredging contractors. The stations for the beach nourishment scope of work associated with the Bogue Inlet Project are depicted in the “Beach Nourishment Progress Map” above to provide a reference for tracking the project. The shaded areas in red represent the completed portions of the project and will be updated on a weekly basis throughout construction.

The second graphic above, entitled “Channel Realignment Schematic” provides the general locations of the dike, booster pump, pipeline, and channel orientation in the area of Bogue Inlet.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The Emerald Isle (EI) Bogue Inlet Channel / Western Phase Beach Nourishment Project Realignment Project includes plans to reposition the Bogue Inlet channel to a more central position within the inlet floodway separating EI/Bogue Banks from Bear Island. This should relieve scouring pressures along the very western edge of EI, also known as The Pointe. The project is actually the last of a three-phased shore protection effort known as the Bogue Banks Beach Restoration Project. This effort has been approximately 90% financed through voter-approved bond referendums encompassing the communities of Pine Knoll Shores, Indian Beach/Salter Path, and EI. After EI’s 2002 bond referendum passed, the Town retained Coastal Planning & Engineering to prepare the Environmental Impact Statement and guide EI through the permitting process. These efforts culminated in the issuance of State and Federal permits received by the Town in September 2004.


The Project entails the realignment of the primary Bogue Inlet channel ~3,500 west of its present-day position with concurrent beach nourishment along 4.5 miles of western EI oceanfront. These scopes of work are also augmented with the construction of a dike within the present-day deep water channel aimed to inhibit tidal currents and direct flow to the new channel. The work must be completed by April 1, 2005 in order to meet the environmental moratorium schedule established by the resource agencies.

The realigned channel will trend along a north - south axis for approximately 7,000 feet with varying widths ranging from 150 feet at the northernmost terminus near Dudley Island, to a maximum width of 400 feet in the central portion of the channel that transitions to 200 feet at the southern, seaward end of the channel. It is estimated that the inlet shoreline will take 4 to 6 years to fully expand as sand migrates along the western shoulder of EI and the "spit" progrades in the westward direction towards the realigned channel. The construction update link located along the left-handed margin of this webpage contains schematics and additional information regarding the effort.

There are many unique features and subtleties with this project, but some of the more prominent aspects include; (1) The realigned channel has been carefully engineered to capture the exact tidal prism (volume of water flowing in and out of the inlet) that the present day inlet drains. In this manner, the hydrodynamics should remain relatively stable throughout the waterways connecting the sound to Bogue Inlet. (2) The beach nourishment template is approximately 30 cubic yards per linear foot (cy/ft). This is considered a relatively “small” template, but fortunately coincides with the fact that the western EI oceanfront is one of Bogue Banks’ more stable areas of shoreline. (3) The channel realignment project is a one time event – maintenance of the inlet will remain under the auspices of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers utilizing a side-cast dredge. And while the depth and width of the cut for the realigned inlet will likely eliminate the need for maintenance dredging for potentially a year or two, long-range maintenance will remain as a “pending situation” based on the availability of Federal funds. (4) It is expected that the project will provide at least 15 years worth of protection for The Pointe based on an analyses of historical inlet migration rates.

From a holistic standpoint, the project has many positive attributes as well. Improving navigation within the Bogue Inlet floodway, saving homes and infrastructure along the Pointe shoreline, conserving bird habitat, and utilizing high quality sand for beach nourishment along the western EI oceanfront are beneficial for a host of interests and stakeholders that are involved with, and ultimately impacted by the project.